1. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
What I like to call “a more modern version of Venice,” Amsterdam is a beautiful, trendy city that has so much to offer for young people. Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities I have ever visited in Europe and a must go while you are abroad. There is so much to see and do, so be sure to plan to stay for at least three to four days to get the full experience.
If you are flying in, make sure to stop at the “I am-sterdam” sign to get that iconic photo op. If you travel by some other form of transportation, fret not! There are two more signs located in the heart of the city.
There are a good number of museums, but the best ones are the Heineken Brewery (Amsterdam is famous for its beer), the Diamond Museum (Amsterdam is also famous for its high-quality diamonds), and of course, the Van Gogh Museum.
And there is definitely no shortage of food and nightclubs/bars in Amsterdam. They have everything you could ever want.
If you’re the healthy type, Amsterdam’s got you covered. But if you’re the YOLO let’s indulge type they got food for you too.
They are especially known for their cheese. I recommend the truffle cheese?
I swear this was a Tuesday night–clearly there is always someplace to party in Amsterdam.
If you want to do some more touristy stuff make sure to do a canal tour. The canals are so beautiful, and it’s a great way to see all the major landmarks of the city. If you want to get up-close and personal with some landmarks I would recommend the Royal Palace because the marble walls make for an elegant photo shoot background.
For some shopping, head on over to Kalverstraat (which is just like SoHo in NYC) and Nieuwendijk streets near Dam Square, or perhaps the Royal Palace! If you are looking for more of a cultural shopping experience, make sure to go to the flea market down by the Van Gogh Museum (Note: it only runs on the weekends).
2. Strasbourg, France
Strasbourg, the capital city of the Alsace region in Northeastern France is a unique French city. My favorite part of the trip had to be the bike tour in the city. Strasbourg, like many European cities, is a city especially built for bikes; there are large bike lanes and the land is very flat. The bikes made it easy to get around and see all the major monuments like the Cathedral in the picture above.
Like any French city, there is plenty of shopping to do. You can find all your local American stores (Zara, Sephora, H&M) as well as the fancy designer French stores (Celine and Hermes).
I would give the food in Strasbourg a six out of ten. If you are looking for typical French food, Strasbourg is definitely not the place. I ordered a pizza, and although it may have looked good, it most certainly wasn’t good (not that pizza is French food, but still).
Your best bet for good food is La Petit France (the Old Town). There are tons of great restaurants with both German and French delicacies.
(how cute is it?)
And last but not least, if you don’t make it to Paris, check out the Bridge that connects Strasbourg to Kehl, Germany. There are tons of locks on the bridge and plenty of space to add your own.
3. Cologne, Germany
In my mind, the best way to describe Germany is the country of pretzels. Everywhere you look… pretzels. Donuts in the shape of pretzels, cookies in the shape of pretzels, actual Pretzels, and pretzel bread. Also, let’s not forget the beer, because apparently the Kolsch is the most famous. Germans really do love their alcoholic beverages. So if you’re in Germany make sure you try their food.
Cologne a large city on the Rhine River in western Germany, and is very much a modern city with a good balance of the old and the new. Of course, there are all the normal things to do like eat, shop, and go to zoos and museums, so I am going to share with you the more unique, hidden things.
Even though it can be agreed that Switzerland is the ideal place for chocolate, Germany does have a chocolate museum that is pretty neat. It is called the Lindt and Imhoff Schokoladen Museum, and you can learn a lot about how they make chocolate from picking the cocoa plants to putting the finished chocolate in a wrapper. They also have a large chocolate fountain where you can try fresh chocolate for free and even a place where you can customize your own chocolate bar (which is not free).
You should also look into the cable cars. It’s a special experience, and a unique way to see the city and relax.
There is also a bridge in Cologne called the Hohenzollern Bridge (the big arch bridge that crosses over the river) where you can put a lock. Be aware though, this one’s more popular so it might be harder to find a spot.
4. Rudesheim, Germany
The epitome of an old German town, Rudesheim lies on a gorgeous hillside on the Rhine River. Known for its vineyards, attending a wine tasting in Rudesheim is a must do. After you’ve tried the extensive collection of wine, take a gondola ride over the vineyards and see the whole town and the river from above. If you haven’t been on a gondola ride yet, I recommend doing it in Rudesheim.
(how stunning is this view?)
After the gondola ride, you will end up on the top of a huge hill overlooking the whole town and countryside. There is a really nice cupola at the top to take pictures and sit down in so you can take in that beautiful view.
When you ride back down on the gondola into town, go try out some of the delicious food at the various restaurants in Ruedesheim. The most famous one is Drosselhof (the one in all the pictures of Rudesheim), but I went to Rudesheimer Schloss and it was equally as amazing. Most of the restaurants are farm-to-table, so the food quality is on point.
And before you go, don’t forget to stop by some of the local shops for some toys, cuckoo clocks, christmas ornaments and beer steins (some of the many things Germany is known for).
5. Heidelberg, Germany
Feeling homesick and miss that university feel? Head to Heidelberg and hang out with all the university kids. There is tons to see, eat, shop and do. My favorite part was seeing the ruins of Heidelberg Castle which gave me a great view of the whole town. The castle was huge and very much intact, making it great for pictures.
Although a very popular residential community, Heidelberg is mostly known as a university town. So, go hang out and shop at some of the popular local spots and make sure to check out the University store where you can buy some really cute apparel.
(shopping!)
(Germany is known for their Cuckoo Clock Designs)
One of the bakeries I went to had these really cool cookies called Snowball cookies, and I would recommend you try them. If you are there on the weekend, stop at the flea market in the main square where you can find tons of unique gifts.
6. Zurich, Switzerland
The financial capital of Switzerland, Zurich is very much a modern city. This city has so much history, great views, zoos, museums, and is hands down the the best place to shop and eat. However, you’ve got to be prepared to spend a lot of money in Switzerland. They aren’t known as the most expensive place in Europe for nothing. Also make sure you have exchanged your Euros or U.S dollars for Swiss Francs. Places in Switzerland do not accept other currency, but they do accept credit card!
If you are looking to get around the city quickly, take the street trams. They work exactly like the ones in New York, the only difference being that they are above ground! The main shopping street is Bahnhofstrasse where you can catch all the European designers as well as your regular Zara, H&M and Adidas. Also, what many people don’t know is that the Swiss love brunch. You can find tons of amazing brunch spots all around the city with boutique vibes and great views.
(all public water in Switzerland is fresh from the mountains and drinkable)
Food: If there is one thing Switzerland is known for, it is chocolate, and let me tell you, there is no shortage of chocolate in this city. To get your chocolate fix, head to the Lindt and Sprungli Chocolate Factory right outside the city. At the factory, you can take a chocolate making class taught by the chocolatiers themselves and learn to become a master of the fine art of chocolate making. Classes are offered in English, Swiss and German, so make sure you are picking the English class when registering. Also while you’re at the factory, make sure to check out the factory store. It is one of the biggest chocolate stores you will ever see and they have everything you could ever dream of. For some good restaurants for dinner or lunch head to Niederdorf street and hit up Swiss Chuchi, famous for their cheese fondue. Also if you are out shopping check out Manora, a restaurant at the top of a store that’s marketplace style like Eataly in NYC. The food is to die for and it’s a nice place to relax and look out at the city.
(the chocolatier himself at work)
7. Lucerne, Switzerland
The most beautiful scenery you will see in Europe is Lucerne (Literally this place is gorgeous and looks like it came out of a National Geographic Magazine.) The air is fresh, everything is green, and you can’t believe that people actually live in such a beautiful place. One of the smaller cities in Switzerland, Lucerne, which sits right on the edge of a giant fresh water lake. I highly recommend taking a cruise along the Lake; you get the best view of the city and the landscape, and it is a great time to relax. I also recommend visiting the Chapel Bridge (aka, that long wooden bridge connecting the middle of the city adorned with colorful flowers.)
(the Chapel bridge connecting the two sides of the city)
Lucerne is also a wonderful place to drop all your life savings (Sigh). They have watch stores all around the city selling the most intricately designed timepieces you will ever lay eyes on. But of course, as a college student it might be best to just head to the local flea market around the lake and buy all sorts of cheap jewelry and unique trinkets.
If you have a whole weekend to spend here, I also recommend taking a day trip up to Mount. Pilatus. There is a nice tram that takes you up this mountain, and it gives you a stunning view of the city, the lake, and all of Switzerland.
(Mount. Pilatus station)
(straight out of National Geographic am I right?)
Food: In addition to chocolate, Switzerland is widely known for its cheese fondue. However, you must be prepared, because this is no ordinary cheese fondue. It is a combination of swiss cheese and white wine served with potatoes and bread. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the restaurant I went to, I only remember that it was near the Chapel Bridge, but if you look up on Yelp or ask anyone for the famous one they will tell you which one it is.